


Accidentally (In Love)

by kimunkur



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 11:58:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20600411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimunkur/pseuds/kimunkur
Summary: “Did I just—Did we—Did Rhodey and I just kiss?”





	Accidentally (In Love)

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [roman-kun's comic](https://roman-kun.tumblr.com/post/186300302757/) on _tumblr_.

“Hey, I gotta go.” Rhodey pulls on his jacket, straightening the collar. He grabs the keys from the counter. 

“Hm,” Tony acknowledges his statement, swiping at the Stark Pad. “Stay safe.”

Rhodey leans down and Tony turns his head to meet him halfway. Their lips touch in a soft kiss before Rhodey leaves, keys jingling in his hands to join Clint at the door.

It’s not until later, when Tony lifts his mug to his lip does he realise what he’s done. He chokes on his coffee, coughing into the mug and moving the Pad out of the way.

“Tony?” Pepper asks from the couch in the living room. “Are you okay?”

Tony knocks on his chest, breathing heavily. “Did I just—Did we—Did Rhodey and I just kiss?”

Pepper blinks, staring at him with confusion. “Yes.” When Tony doesn’t answer, Pepper approaches. “What’s wrong?”

“Why did I do that?”

“Do… what?”

Tony opens his mouth but shuts it promptly. Maybe if he doesn’t acknowledge it… 

“You and Rhodey aren’t dating.” It’s not a question, because Pepper knows and understands and she’s _ smart._

“Why did I do _that?” _Tony repeats.

“Tony.”

“What is _ wrong _ with me?”

“Tony.”

“Why would I even—?”

“Tony!”

Tony blinks. “Pep.”

“You love him.”

Tony glances down to the Stark Pad. “Well, yeah. He’s my—”

“And you’re _ in _ love with him too.”

His mouth dries and he tries to swallow his saliva. “Maybe.”

Pepper scoffs. “Maybe? Tony, you didn’t—”

“I know.” Tony smiles, tight. “I know, but—”

“You were scared.”

Tony whips his focus to Pepper and she stares back, defiant; daring him to argue. But she’s always known him better than he knows himself. “Yeah, fine,” he relents. “I was scared so I didn’t do anything, and now I’m—I’m _ terrified _ I’ve ruined everything.”

Pepper purses her lips before she takes pity on him and sighs. “He kissed you too, you know.”

“Uh… What?”

*** * ***

The tires screech, rubber burning.

Clint curses, hand bracing on the dashboard as he looks over at Rhodey. “What the Hell?”

Rhodey pulls over, hands tightening over the wheel before he lets go and puts his head in hands, hunched forward. “Oh my God.”

“Rhodey?”

“What did I do?”

“Rhodey, man.” Clint nudges Rhodey’s shoulder. “Please don’t be losing it,” he whispers.

Rhodey glances over to Clint before taking a deep breath and leaning back onto the seat. “Did I kiss Tony when we left?”

“Yeah?” Clint tilts his head.

Rhodey leans forward, hitting his head on the steering wheel. He groans.

“Something wrong?”

Rhodey sighs. “I screwed up.”

“Trouble in paradise?”

Rhodey jerks his head up, squinting at Clint.

“What?”

“We’re not together.”

_ “What?” _

Rhodey raises his eyebrows at Clint’s incredulity.

“What do you mean you’re not together?”

“Why are you so sh—?”

“Did you break up?”

“No?” Rhodey shakes his head. “We were never together.”

Clint is gobsmacked, mouth open and eyes wide like he’s questioning the very existence of reality. _“What?”_

“What?”

“What do you mean?”

“Clint, I don’t understand.”

“I just—Just give me a minute.” Clint runs a hand through his hair, leaning onto the headrest. “I swear, you just blew my mind.”

“Because Tony and I aren’t dating?”

“Yes!” Clint turns in his seat. “I mean, how?”

Rhodey stares at him.

“You guys are just so… couple-y and…” Clint presses his hands together to demonstrate how close the two are. “I thought you two were married!”

Rhodey chokes on his breath. “What?”

“That’s exactly my point!”

“That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Exactly!”

Rhodey sighs. “I don’t—”

“Oh, hang on,” Clint interrupts. He shifts in his seat, pulling out a phone from his pocket. “It’s Nat. Hey, what’s up?” he answers, pressing a button to put her on loudspeaker.

“Where are you?” Natasha asks.

“On our way. Why?”

“You’re late.”

“Blame Rhodey—he had a meltdown.”

“Are you serious?” Rhodey hisses, throwing his hands in the air.

“You okay, Rhodey?” Natasha inquires, concern bleeding through the speakers.

“I’m fine. Thank you.” Rhodey pulls the car out from where he’d parked. “We’re moving now. Shouldn’t be long ‘til we get there.”

“Okay. See you soon.”

“Wait, wait!” Clint scrabbles with the phone and brings it closer to his mouth. “Did you know Rhodey and Tony weren’t dating—and never have been?”

Rhodey refrains from rolling his eyes, choosing to keep his focus on the road instead of the back of his skull.

Natasha is unnaturally silent.

Rhodey smirks, flickering his gaze to the phone as though that will help him gauge Nat’s reaction. “Really? You too?”

Clint snickers. “I guess no one won that bet, huh?”

“Wait—what bet?”

It’s silent as the two SHIELD agents decide whether they want to be the first to spill the beans.

“Bye, guys,” Natasha bids them farewell and Rhodey can almost see her grinning as she does so.

“Son of a—”

“Clint. What bet?”

*** * ***

“You’re avoiding me.”

Tony startles, dropping the wrench. He fumbles for it and places it back on the table, knocking over a container of screwdrivers. “Rhodey!” He shuffles the tools back into their bucket. “You’re back.”

“Yeah.” Rhodey crosses his arms, leaning on the doorframe. “I have been for the past week.” He stares at Tony and Tony shifts under his gaze. “But you knew that.”

“Uh… no.” Tony closes his eyes, running a finger over his brows. “Yes… maybe—FRI, you were supposed to lock the lab.”

“Colonel Rhodes has access to the override codes,” she responds in her not-at-all-apologetic tone.

“Hm. Remind me to change them.”

“Tony.”

Rhodey has come closer, standing on the other side of the table Tony is working on. His hands are splayed on the metal surface.

Tony tears his eyes away from Rhodey’s arms, swallowing. “Welcome back, Rhodey.”

“Thanks.”

Tony glances up at the warmth in his voice. He shoots his gaze away when his eyes land on Rhodey’s lips, missing how Rhodey’s tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip.

“How was the mission?”

“The mission was fine.” Rhodey rounds the table to stand next to Tony.

Tony struggles to breathe. “No details?”

“Tones.”

Tony almost swoons at the way Rhodey says his name, and he doesn’t even know why—no, scratch that. He knows _exactly_ why. That Goddamn kiss broke the wall and it’s all he can think about it.

“Do you regret it?”

Tony freezes. He doesn’t know what to say. If he says yes, things could go back to normal; they’d go back to being friends and Tony wouldn’t have to live in a constant state of whether he’s royally screwed over the best friendship he ever had. But saying _‘no’_ would mean lying. “Regret what?”

“You know what.”

Tony sniffs, finally looking up at Rhodey. “Do you?”

“I asked you first.”

“Just answer the question.”

“That’s not fair.”

“I don’t—”

“Maybe.”

It’s silly how one word can gut him so much. Tony rocks back on his heels, blinking at his best friend.

Rhodey sighs, rubbing a hand over his face before pulling a chair over with his foot and sinking down on it. “If it means this; you avoiding me—hiding from me? Then, yeah, I regret it.”

“Rhodey—”

“Just let me talk, man.”

Tony nods.

“Pepper told me why you guys broke up.”

Tony rests his head in hands, elbows crashing onto the table. “’Cos she didn’t want to watch me kill myself?” His voice is muffled behind his palms.

“And the other thing.”

If the floor was a hungry monster and swallowed him whole—Hell, even if it bit him in half—Tony would welcome it. “Uh-huh.”

“Tones. Look at me.”

Tony almost shivers. It’s not fair how Rhodey can whisper like that and expect a functioning Tony in return. But, somehow, he obeys.

Rhodey is no longer in his chair, hovering at Tony’s side. He’s staring right into Tony’s eyes and Tony wants to look away but there’s something behind them that grounds him to the spot.

Then Rhodey steps forward and their lips are touching. One hand braces the back of his neck and the other brushes his hip, thumb slipping under his shirt.

Tony gasps, eyes flitting shut to revel the touch—_ Rhodey’s _touch. He grips Rhodey’s arm, hand squeezing the muscles as he tries to pull Rhodey closer by the waist.

Rhodey’s hand moves, crawling around his side and up Tony’s back. Tony shivers, breaking the kiss to bury his face in Rhodey’s shoulder and breathe him in. Rhodey’s lips hover over Tony’s ear, hot breath trailing down his neck. “Tones,” he murmurs.

And that is Tony’s breaking point. He pulls himself backwards, bringing Rhodey with him.

Rhodey steadies a hand on the table, grin pulling at his lips as he looks down at Tony. “Patience, Tony.”

Tony groans, head tipping back onto the cold surface.

Rhodey uses Tony’s exposed throat to his advantage, placing a kiss on his neck.

Tony’s hands fly up to Rhodey’s head, fingers brushing his hair as Rhodey’s tongue darts at his skin. He wraps his legs around Rhodey, hips lifting off the table to find friction.

But Rhodey pushes him back down, hands firmly planted on his waist. “Tones, wait.”

“What?” Tony breathes, after realising he can’t move with Rhodey pinning him.

“Let’s go to your room.”

Tony grunts. “Or we can stay here and—”

“Room.”

“Fine.” He lets go of Rhodey and takes his proffered hand to pull himself off the table. “You’re a buzzkill, you know that right?”

Rhodey raises a brow. “You really wanna insult me right now?”

“Sorry.” Tony grins, chest light and stomach flipping with what he can only describe as pure joy. “Pure accident—swear I didn’t mean to.”

Rhodey chuckles. “You’re lucky I love you, man,” he says before slipping around the table to exit the lab.

Tony is rooted to the spot, mind whirring at Rhodey’s words. He smiles, cheeks reddening as he rushes after Rhodey. “You’re such a sap.”

“Ton—”

“Accident! I swear I’m not doing this on purpose.”


End file.
